Discover the interesting town of Cozumel

Once the site of many a Mayan religious ritual, Cozumel has endured a varied and interesting past before becoming the small holiday town that it is today. Situated on Cozumel island, it offers visitors great scuba and snorkeling opportunities as well as a great beach. It also offers holidaymakers the chance to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Cozumel was once known to the Maya as Ah-cuzamil which means 'land of the swallows'. It was a very important site and was not only used in worship of the sun and of gods and goddesses, but also as a starting point for several mainland migrations. In 1518 the island was discovered by a Spaniard by the name of Juan de Grijalva who was followed by a number of other European explorers. Since the island was not big enough to attract a lot of attention it soon became the hide-out of pirates and smugglers and saw the likes of Henry Morgan and Long John Silver amongst others. By the late 19th century the piracy had disappeared only to make way for refugees of the 'Castle Wars' on the mainland. During World War Two Cozumel became a US air force base. After the war life returned to fairly normal and the 1950's saw tourism reach the shores of this pretty little island.

Today Cozumel holidays are enjoyed by foreigners and locals alike. When visitors aren't diving, swimming or enjoying the beaches and reef, they generally enjoy the casual Cozumel shopping environment. The Cozumel restaurants generally offer great local food in beautiful surroundings while Cozumel hotels offer a fairly high standard of accommodation. And there is plenty of other attractions - such as picnicking on the picturesque Laguna Chankanab lake or visiting the Mayan Sites. In San Miguel de Cozumel you will find an interesting museum and a small marine aquarium - the perfect place to spend any days with less than perfect weather. If you want to enjoy great beaches, diving areas, historical sites, and island life in a small-town setting you'd best make Cozumel your next holiday destination.